Young people improve business skills in Lichinga

“With the knowledge I gained, I will begin to monitor my business’s cash flow on a weekly basis. Before the training, I did not have a clear understanding of the profits and losses from the sales I made” said Fiona Jauato Timamo, a 21-year-old graduate and agricultural products trader. In turn, Joaquim Gabriel, aged 30, highlighted that the training “helped me to research the market and structure a fish-selling business with strong growth prospects.”

Fiona and Joaquim are part of a group of 74 young graduates in the district of Lichinga who completed training in financial management, entrepreneurship, financial education, savings and revolving credit, markets and commercialization, and marketing. The training was promoted by the HOJE project (Skills plus Opportunities Result in Youth with Employment), implemented by Helvetas Mozambique.

Facilitated by five BDAs (Business Development Agents) who are experienced community entrepreneurs, the training took place over six months, from June to December 2025. During this period, the project facilitated the training of 477 micro-entrepreneurs, 166 of whom are women, in the provinces of Nampula and Niassa.

The total cost of the training, set at two thousand meticais per participant, was co-financed, with 25% contributed by the beneficiaries and 75% by the project.